Incineration of solid waste and energy recovery: A state-of-art survey

Incineration is one of the oldest, and most widely accepted and adopted technology for the disposal of solid waste. Over the years, a number of incineration systems have been developed. These are: open-pit, Engle refractory-lined, waterwall, fixed-hearth, modular, rotary-kiln, fluidized-bed, multiple-hearth, mobile, slagging, and refuse-derived fuel cofired and dedicated incinerators. A brief historical development of incinerators, and a description and discussion of each of these incinerators is presented in this work. Major deficiencies of these incinerators have been identified and the areas in which future research should be oriented are pointed out. Comparison of major incineration techniques is reported. It is a generally prevailing view that processing of solid waste is essential for efficient and environmentally acceptable incineration. In this context, the various unit operations involving size reduction, screening, air classification, and magnetic separation are briefly mentioned, as are also the various varieties of processed municipal solid waste generally known as refuse derived fuel. Combustion thermal energy recovery from incinerators is discussed in detail in view of its relevance and economic impact on the overall solid waste management problem. Lastly, the state-of-the-art status of pollution control technology is briefly described.